


The Terra Between Us

by HermioneGrander



Series: Dincobb Valentine's Bingo 2021 Event [5]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Boys Kissing, Cobb is a fae, Din is an elf, Enemies to Lovers, Handcuffed Together, Idiots in Love, Kissing, M/M, Soulmate AU, bingo tags ahead, canon AU - cobb finding the child first, fantasy realm AU, i hope you enjoy, just so much stuff in this, not really - Freeform, probably the most organised fic ive ever written, that was so bad im sorry, what more is there to say
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-12 02:40:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29627847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HermioneGrander/pseuds/HermioneGrander
Summary: At the end of the War of Ancients, borders were drawn between the Woodland Elves and the Forest Fae. Both had fought long for ownership of their roots that so unfortunately were sprung from the same Terra. Each must abide by the boundaries set for them by their ancestors thousands of years ago, so this war may never come again.Tensions rise when those who have long been separated suddenly find themselves together. But one day, there shall be enemies born of one soul split into two, that shall find themselves together, where they must stay. These soul mates will reunite the once great nation of Woodland Elves and Forest Fae.Din Djarin, elf, and Cobb Vanth, fae, are on opposite sides of an age-old war. Time for some Romeo and Juliet on mythical crack.
Relationships: Din Djarin/Cobb Vanth
Series: Dincobb Valentine's Bingo 2021 Event [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2177427
Comments: 8
Kudos: 25
Collections: DinCobb Valentine's Bingo 2021





	1. Like the Wind

**Author's Note:**

> Hey hey so I actually liked this one!!! what? I hope yall enjoy it too
> 
> I love you

  
  
  
  


_ At the end of the War of Ancients, borders were drawn between the Woodland Elves and the Forest Fae. Both had fought long for ownership of their roots that so unfortunately were sprung from the same Terra. Each must abide by the boundaries set for them by their ancestors thousands of years ago, so this war may never come again. _

_ Tensions rise when those who have long been separated suddenly find themselves together. But one day, there shall be enemies born of one soul split into two, that shall find themselves together, where they must stay. These soul mates will reunite the once great nation of Woodland Elves and Forest Fae. _

  
  
  


~

  
  
  


Woodland Elf and High Guard Din Djarin spent most of his time on the forest floor rather than up in the trees with his kin.

_ “You’re lucky the Fae didn’t take the ground as their borders,”  _ his elder brother, Lord Fett, had told him when he was younger,  _ “You’d be out of luck.” _

Din preferred it; he could smell the dirt and flowers, he could feel the life beneath his feet as other creatures shared the forest floor with him. He’d run swift as rain through brush and grass, shedding his armour for speed. There was a sense of freedom, of not relying on anything other than your feet to keep you upright as you ran along the forest floor, that leaping across branches could not provide.

He was good at keeping out of trouble; until one day, he ran farther than ever before, and right through one of the Fae’s borders. 

  
  
  


~

  
  
  


Forest Fae and Captain of the Guard Cobb Vanth spent most of his time up amongst the trees that overlooked the forest in which he dwelt rather than on the floor below with his kin. 

_ “It’s a good thing the Elves did not take the trees as their borders,”  _ his best friend, a pine sprite named Werlo Bonebb, used to say to him when they were kids.  _ “They’d have killed you by now.” _

Cobb preferred it; he could smell the fruits of the trees as he swept through, feel the wind brush his cheek or pull at his clothes as he leapt with it. He’d jump from branch to branch, pulling his scarf tighter across his mouth to keep out the bugs. There was a sense of freedom, of not being tied to the confines of the  _ Terra _ beneath him as he cleared several metres in one jump, that conforming to the slow pace below could not provide.

He was good at watching over his people and keeping out trouble; until one day, he stopped just behind one of the Fae’s borders, and watched an Elf fall through.

  
  
  


~

  
  
  


Din halted immediately. He could feel the shift in atmosphere even before he realised he’d crossed a border; a chill swept up his feet and he shivered from it. He glanced around frantically, hoping to the Force he never really cared for that he hadn’t just ruined everything his ancestors had worked to safeguard.

A branch broke above his head and he whipped his gaze up the trees. He stumbled back when he saw the source of the sound: a Forest Fae, about the same age as himself, who stood on a pine branch and gazed down on him in shock. 

His breath caught in his throat as he observed the Fae carefully. He was prettier than Din had ever heard them described; he wore simple red and brown armour that hugged his thin form nicely, a red scarf that hid his mouth and neck, and had hair of gold that shone in the bits of Sun cutting through the branches over his head, creating an allusion of a crown or a halo.

Faster than Din could pull out his dagger, the Fae dropped to a crouch at Din’s feet. He stood to his full height, which was just an inch taller than Din, and glared.

“What are you doing here, stranger?” the Fae asked, his tone dangerous. 

“I’m sorry,” Din found himself saying against his will, “I wasn’t paying attention.”

The Fae scoffed.

“That’s right,” he said, “You weren’t. You also weren’t thinking very hard either. Your parents ever tell you not to cross a Fae’s borders? Or did you just think you could get away with it?”

Din shook his head, “No, I was taught better, and I know where your borders reside. I was just running, and I didn’t realise where I was until it was too late.”

The Fae nodded slowly, still suspicious.

“So the tales of the  _ Headless Elves _ are true then?” he asked, chuckling dryly.

“As must be the tales of the  _ Heartless Fae _ ,” Din shot back angrily. 

The Fae raised an eyebrow, “You clearly do not recognise to whom you speak either,” he replied, pointing to his right pauldron. 

Din groaned inwardly; the symbol of the Krayt Dragon, a great beast slain by the Fae Guard so long ago, adorned this Fae’s armour. 

“It’s my duty to capture you and bring you in to my superiors,” the Fae continued. “So unless you want me to do just that, I recommend you keep your mouth shut.”

Din frowned.

“You won’t tell anyone I crossed a border?”

The Fae shook his head, “Not unless you prompt me too. And should you do anything, take advantage of us in any way, because you think you’ll get out of this again, just remember; you hurt my people, and I  _ will _ kill you.”

Din nodded, wanting to say something smart back, but the words fell short. He figured he shouldn’t push his luck, and left quicker than he came, his feet carrying him across the forest floor so fast he could’ve been flying. 

It wasn’t until he reached his home that he realised; he never asked the Fae for his name, nor did he ask for Din’s.

  
  
  


~

  
  
  


The very next day, Din found his feet carrying him right back to the border. He doesn’t cross it this time; he’s learned his lesson.

Din is not sure why he felt so strongly that he needed to come back, but here he was. Something about this place, something about that Fae, drew him here, made him want to keep returning. But when he searched the area, the Fae was nowhere to be seen. He sat in the dirt, thinking. He hadn’t even gotten to know the Fae’s name, and therefore had nothing to call upon. 

Din continued to come every day, hoping that each new day would be the one he’d see the Fae again. But no such luck for the Woodland Elf; still there was no sign of the beautiful creature that now took up residence in his every dream. 

Din began planting outside the border. Woodland Elves were capable of such things, so long as they were small. He grew chrysanthemums, tulips, daisies, a few roses, and even a single sunflower. All of them grew just along the border, creating a visible, physical boundary. He hoped it would draw the Fae back, so he could speak with him. He wasn’t sure why he felt so strongly for this Fae; they were meant to be enemies. And yet, something about him kept coming back to Din’s mind, holding itself there and forcing to revolve all of his thoughts around it.

Din contemplated leaving a note in the bark of a tree, and then decided against it. If anyone besides the Fae saw it, if any of the other Elves found it, he’d be exiled. So he continued to sit just outside the border and bloom flowers that reminded him of the Fae.

-

The very next day, Cobb found himself returning to the border, to that same spot he’d met the Elf just the day before. And there the Elf was, standing just outside the border once more, glancing in. Cobb had chuckled to himself; it looked as though the elf was waiting for him.

A few days passed like this; the Elf would show up at the border, gaze into it longingly for a few hours, and then leave. Then, one day, the Elf began to plant little flowers along the border’s edge; Cobb came closer, but stayed just out of sight, watching the Elf closely as he handled the seeds with the utmost care and raised them from the  _ Terra _ with ease. Cobb felt more and more drawn to him as time went on, and he still didn’t even know the Elf’s name. Cobb longed to speak with him again, in any way he could, but it was forbidden. He wanted to leave a note of sorts, but knew if anyone other than the Elf saw it, Cobb would be in immense trouble. 

Despite the lack of communication, the Elf showed up every day, planted a single flower, and left swift as he came. Cobb got an idea, and overnight left a sign only the Elf would know and appreciate. 

The Elf arrived the next morning, and saw what Cobb had left him on the other side of the border’s edge: a pile of lily seeds. The Elf’s face broke into a rare, brilliant smile, and he glanced around hoping to find Cobb. Cobb smiled from the branch on which he was perched.

The Elf knelt in the dirt, placing his hands on the ground just an inch from the seeds, an inch from the border. He closed his eyes in concentration, and after just a few minutes, a few sprouts broke through the soil. The Elf opened his eyes, watching the lilies grow in wonder and awe. Cobb smiled softly to himself as the Elf worked, now bringing both sides of the border to life. 

  
  
  


~

  
  
  


Cobb leapt from branch to brand as fast as he could; he hadn't made it to the border the day prior, as it had been Life Day, the day on which new Fae children were born. Fae grew quickly, and lived long lives, so to protect the forest as long and as efficiently as possible. He missed seeing the Elf, even if they'd never spoken since the border dispute. 

But as Cobb made his way to their meeting place, he heard a small cry down below on the forest floor. He paused, his Guardsman instincts kicking in. Dropping a few branches down, he listened closely. 

From a thick bush at the base of his tree, Cobb heard it again: a small cry, and some rustling. He jumped to the ground and raced to the bush, pulling the leaves back. Inside lay a small Fae child, just born the day before. He was thrashing about in the prickly bush, and crying pitiful sobs. Cobb's heart squeezed and he reached down to pick up the poor child. He knew instantly why it was there, and it broke his heart even more. 

The Forest Fae, being magickal and therefore vital creatures to the forest and its survival, take their power and their responsibility incredibly seriously. They are born to the forest and of the forest, and their existence is tied solely to the stability of the forest’s ecosystem. They do not live for themselves, nor each other, but for the forest alone; it keeps them alive, and in return, they protect it. 

For this reason, if a Fae child does not exhibit signs of powerful magick when they are first born, they are cast aside and forgotten. No time could be wasted tending to a dying flame of magick; they must save their energy for those who show true potential. This meant that the child sniffling before him was cast aside for such a lack of visible magick. 

Cobb had always disagreed with this mentality the Fae possessed; as did many other Fae. But it was not their job to decide what children were worthy of sparing when the forest fed new life every day. But this child was alone, and scared; Cobb had to help it.

He lifted it carefully from the bush and held it close to his chest. The child stopped crying instantly and looked up at Cobb with big, brown, glistening eyes. Cobb’s heart melted.

“I’ve got you, little guy,” he whispered to the child softly, “I’m gonna help you, okay?”

One problem in Cobb’s selfless plan that he hadn’t considered until that second was that he would not be able to raise the kid nor take care of him. His duties as Captain of the Guard took up most of his time, and since the child was cast out, raising him would be an open act of disobedience and disrespect against the Fae law. Few other Fae had been caught raising a child without magick, and they were exiled for it. It was a sad ordeal for everyone, as losing a single Fae was harmful to the forest. Cobb did not wish to cause such emotional unrest, but he couldn’t just leave this child. There were cases where a child who did not show immediate signs of magick did eventually become very powerful; but more often than not, the child had no abilities whatsoever. Despite that, Cobb just knew there was something special about the child.

An idea sprung to his head as sudden as a blooming flower at first sunlight. It was dangerous, irrational, and completely unethical, but once he had the idea he simply could not shake it. He knew it would work, he knew his judgement was good; he just had to find the courage. For this child, he could.

“I’m gonna take you to someone who will care for you very much,” he said to the child, who tilted his head and babbled. Cobb smiled, “You’ll be okay. I promise.”

Cobb climbed back up into the trees, carrying the child safely with him. One arm wrapped tight around the child, one free to grab branches as he jumped, Cobb sped off towards the border, where he knew a certain Elf would be waiting. 

-

Din was late getting out to the border; his older brother had started a new training routine with him, one that took longer and required more physical exertion as Din was forced to do difficult maneuvers whilst leaping through the trees. He hated being up so high, hated entrusting his safety to a bunch of branches.

“We were made for the trees,” Boba told him when he’d complained, “Why do you think we are called Woodland Elves.”

Din was still bitter about it.

Now, however, the day’s training was finally over, and he sprinted faster than ever before to the border. He still had never seen the Fae since their first interaction, but he’d at least noticed Din, and even left him some lily seeds to grow on the Fae’s side. Din had a good feeling about today, and his excitement sourced adrenaline to his veins as he flew across the ground. 

He came to a sudden stop when he approached the border, however. Standing right in front of him was the Forest Fae he’d met all those weeks ago. He caught his breath as he glanced over the Fae, panting heavily. He looked the same as before; a few stray leaves in his hair and a scratch on his exposed arm the only difference. The scarf had been pulled down off his face and now rested against his neck, and Din saw well-kept facial hair and pink lips that made his heart race.

The Fae was gorgeous. Din only wished to know his name.

There was one other thing that was different about the man before him; in his arms slept a small child. As Din approached, he noticed how frail the child looked as it cuddled into the Fae’s arms. He stopped a foot from the border, looked at the Fae, and tilted his head in curiosity. 

“This child was cast out for his lack of magick,” the Fae said quietly. He sighed heavily, as if his next words plagued him to say. “I came to ask if you would care for him.”

Din stared in shock. An enemy Fae was asking  _ him _ , an  _ Elf _ , to watch over a Fae child? All because he’d been abandoned?

“I know you have no reason to,” the Fae continued, “We are… enemies, and so you should have no care for our kind.” He met Din’s eyes. They were hazel and burning with the passion of a forest fire. “But he’s just a child. He needs a home, and he can’t have one here.”

Din glanced back down at the sleeping creature, his heart softening immensely. He’d never cared for a child before, and the thought of doing so before choosing a partner terrified him. But the Fae’s eyes, while alight with passion, were kind, and pleading. The child was cast out for being different; Din could relate. He found himself nodding in agreement automatically. The Fae immediately smiled at him, and it was so bright that for a second Din believed it to have been carved from the Sun. He began to step forward, and before Din could get a warning in otherwise, the Fae had crossed the border.

“You did it first,” he whispered, now only a few inches from Din. “Figured I might as well do it too.”

He carefully handed the child over, and Din took him carefully, tucking him into the crook of his arm. The Fae had been very careful not to let their skin touch once, something Din was grateful for. Such things could be traced, if one knew what to look for; it was better not to risk it. 

“Thank you,” the Fae said, offering Din a small and most grateful grin. 

Din nodded, smiling back. “Anytime,” he said, and found that he meant it.

The Fae stepped backwards through the border, his bright eyes on Din the whole time. When he passed through, he turned to jump up to the trees again.

“Wait!” Din called.

The Fae stopped immediately, turning to look at him inquisitively. 

“What’s your name?” Din asked.

The Fae stared at him a moment before answering.

“Cobb,” he said. “Cobb Vanth. Captain of the Fae Guard.”

Din’s smile grew. A fellow guard.

“Din Djarin,” he offered, “High Guard of the Elves.”

The Fae, Cobb, grinned at him.

“It’s nice to meet you, Din,” he said. “I hope our paths cross again.”

It was a dangerous thing for him to say, and Din knew that. He admired Cobb all the more for it.

“As do I,” he replied.

And in his heart, he knew they would.

  
  
  


~

  
  
  


Din re-visited the border as often as he could get away, and always brought the child with him. The child could walk after just a week, and Din had to watch him carefully then. 

He’d told everyone he’d found the child abandoned in a tree near the waterfall, a few miles from where Din actually received the child, and well within the Woodland Elves’ borders. Fae and Elf children were indiscernible as children; the true differentiating quality was that the Fae grew to have eyes the colour of the leaves and grass, while Elves’ eyes were colours of wood that made up the trees they called home. Currently, the child’s eyes were deep brown, and they would remain so until he was old enough to accept his identity as a Fae. This was good for Din, as the child could still pass as an Elf. 

Only his brother seemed to have any problem with the arrangement. 

“You spend your days on the forest floor rather than up in the trees where you belong, and now you take in a child before choosing a partner? You’ve gone mad,  _ vod’ika. _ ”

Other than this complaint, however, Boba made no attempts to stop Din from raising the child. Din quickly became attached, and overtime found himself starting to love the child as his own.

After delivering the child to Din, Cobb came to the border every day. Din delighted to see him, and the child seemed to remember the one who’d rescued him from abandonment. The first day the child began to walk, there was debate over whether he should be allowed to cross the border as he pleased. He was still Fae, after all. Din wanted him to, but Cobb had some reservations. Din supposed he feared the child being found on their side; Cobb told him how the Fae would exile him if he was caught with the child. Eventually, however, Cobb gave in, and the child would run back and forth between them as they sat criss-crossed on the forest floor on either side of the border.

They talked for hours some days. Din found he really liked Cobb; when the Fae told stories, his eyes carried light with them. And he began to look at Din in many ways, and none of them had anything to do with disgust or contempt for the enemy. He and Cobb didn’t  _ feel  _ like enemies. In fact, the more they got to know each other, the more Din wished the Elves and Fae  _ weren’t _ enemies. To think that their age-old feud could have kept this friendship he so treasured from him should he have never accidentally crossed the border made him sad to think of, so he tried not to. He had Cobb now, and the child, and that was all that mattered.

It had now been months since their first interaction; the child couldn’t talk just yet, but he walked everywhere. Cobb even began teaching him how to climb trees. Din would watch, laughter on his lips, as the child would climb about two feet up the tree before slipping off, forcing Cobb to catch him before he hit the ground. Likewise, Din would entertain the child by showing him how he could grow flowers from the Earth.

“We’re meant to strengthen the trees,” He’d explained to Cobb. “Our power is from the trees; we’re meant to grow the leaves, heal dead or decayed back, and draw nutrients to their roots. I’ve never spent much time in the trees, so I learned to grow flowers instead.”

Cobb had smiled at him.

“We protect the forest,” he’d told Din in return. “Strengthen the ground, bring in nutrients from water and sunlight that the flora uses to feed new life. We protect wildlife that benefits the forest.”

“And we hunt wildlife that threatens the balance of the forest,” Din said, chuckling.

For all his fire, Cobb had a soft side that was incredible to see. The kind ways Cobb interacted with the child, and with Din himself as time went on, the consideration he had for them both, was breathtaking. Everyday that they parted ways, Din felt Cobb take a piece of his heart with him. 

-

All his life Cobb had been told stories of the vicious nature of the Woodland Elves. They slaughtered wildlife mercilessly, they tore down plants to strengthen their own trees, and overall upended the balance of the forest’s ecosystem. And Cobb believed these stories; until he got to know Din.

The idea of Din taking life with extreme prejudice, or disrupting the peace around him, was laughable to think about. The Elf was fierce, and strong; he was clearly a warrior. But he was also calm, and quiet, and  _ kind. _ He was so  _ infinitely _ kind it took Cobb’s breath away. They learned more about each other and their people, and Din had endless patience for Cobb’s many questions. The way he handled the child was of equal patience and kindness, as he took the time to teach the child, encourage him, and show him love. Din’s love for the child was tangible, and it made Cobb’s heart soar. 

Cobb began to think on their peoples’ disputes and the borders they’d put up with extreme bitterness. Because of their ancestors’ inability to peacefully negotiate, Din and Cobb had to be separated by an age-old border that was drawn by Ancients no one even remembered the names of. 

Cobb had gotten lost in Din’s warm eyes more times than he could count, just listening to the Elf’s deep, soothing voice as he spoke of his favourite flowers. When Cobb had revealed his favourite were lilies, like the seeds he’d left Din so long ago, Din made it his goal to find and grow as many lilies as he could along the border for them to enjoy. Cobb was falling fast for the Elf, and he despaired of it. He cursed the feud and the borders and even the forest itself for allowing such a people to have controlled generations ahead with their own hatred. 

He longed for their time together at the border whenever he was away. He dreamt of the Elf frequently, thought of him fondly. And each day they parted, Din took parts of Cobb’s heart with him.

  
  
  


~

  
  
  


After so long of meeting his Fae friend at the border, one would think Din had a plan for the possibility he could be caught. Unfortunately, he took his good luck thus far for granted.

Boba stopped him one day as he went to leave for the border, cornered him in the armoury. 

“Where do you go every day, you and that child?” he asked. 

“No where,” Din replied, “Wherever we want.”

“You don’t cross the border, do you?”

“No,” Din answered hastily, and it was true, “Never.”

“Then  _ why, _ ” Boba took the child from Din holding him up for all in the room to see, “Does this child have the mark of the Fae?”

A gasp echoed around the room as all of Guards gazed upon what Boba was referring to.

Cobb hadn’t told Din of any mark on the child, nor had he ever heard of it appearing on Fae themselves before; but sure enough, forming on the child’s tiny left hand, was the swirling pattern of a green leaf. The Mark of the Fae. 

“You brought one of  _ them _ to our side?” a newer guard, Cara, shouted disgustedly.

“He’s raising a Fae!” shouted Mayfeld, a rehabilitated guard in training. 

“How could you?” Boba demanded harshly, drawing back Din’s attention.

“He’d been abandoned, and-”

“So you  _ did _ cross the border!” Boba spat.

“No! Just once, but it was an accident, and it wasn’t for the child-”

“Just  _ once _ ?!” 

Boba’s voice was booming now, anger and betrayal flashing in his eyes. 

“Do you know what you have done? In crossing that border, you have just incited a war between the Woodland Elves and the Forest Fae.” Boba motioned for Mayfeld, “Inform the Queen: we have been called to battle.” Mayfeld nodded and ran off, and Boba turned back to Din in all his fury, “I hope the life of this child was worth the lives your mistake will cost us.”

He stormed out of the armoury, the other Guards following behind him. They all took their turn glaring at him with utmost hatred.

“Oh, and one more thing,” Boba called back over his shoulder. “You will stay here, and you will not leave until the Queen decides what to do with you. For now, you are no longer a High Guard of the Woodland Elves.”

Din moved to defend himself when suddenly the tree drew in its branches and folded them around the entrances to the armoury built in its bark, trapping Din inside. He pounded at the wood, tried willing it to move, but it wouldn’t budge. The Guards left, leaping through the trees towards the border, and all Din could do was watch helplessly as he held the now weeping child close to his chest. 

“Cobb,” he whispered against the tree’s wood. “Please, I have to warn Cobb.”

The tree didn’t budge. It remained in place, impassive to Din’s struggle.

“Please, I know we can end this feud, don’t let my kin harm the Fae for my mistake.  _ Please _ .”

Din pressed against the tree with all of his weight, begging it to let him pass. Nothing happened. 

Then, a moment later, the tree branches began to shake. Din pulled back, gasping, and watched as the branches shuddered and unwound themselves from the entrance. Din stared at it, puzzled; he hadn’t caused the trees to move, they had been unresponsive to him. He glanced down at the child and gasped once more.

The child had a hand outstretched and his eyes were shut tight in intense concentration. His little fingers shook as the branches continued to pull away, leaving an opening just big enough for Din to squeeze through. When he was on the other side, the child dropped his hand, and the branches snapped right back to where they had been, closing tightly over the entrance. Din looked at the child; he rocked back in Din’s arms, worn out, but otherwise he seemed okay. Din sighed his relief and grabbed a branch leading towards the boundary. He found himself wishing he’d spent more time training in the trees, but he knew he’d get there faster than on the ground. 

Taking a deep breath, Din leapt from the tree.

-

Din wasn’t at the border when Cobb arrived, though he had no reason to worry just yet. The Elf was often late, as escaping his older brother’s watchful eyes and herding the child quickly away was a challenge. So Cobb sat quietly, and waited in silence. 

It wasn’t silent for long.

“So,” a voice said from behind, “ _ This  _ is where you go everyday.”

Cobb whipped around and stood hastily, his heart pounding. Before him stood Adwin Charu, a lower Guardsman and a long-time rival of Cobb’s. 

“I suppose this will cost you your place as Captain, eh?” he asked, his smile full of vile bitterness. “Fraternising with the enemy at the border.”

“There’s no one else here,” Cobb spat back.

Adwin laughed maniacally, “No, but there was before. I’ve seen him too. Plenty of times I followed you, I watched you talk to him. You’re  _ pathetic _ ,” he snapped, “And of no fit for any position with the Guardsman.”

“If you’ve known all this time, why haven’t you said?”

“Oh, I’ve been waiting. Waiting for the perfect moment to catch you, when I knew he wouldn’t show up. You see,” Adwin was two feet from Cobb now, grinning slyly, “He’s been caught too, little birdy told me. He won’t be coming for you today. Instead, you’ll get the entire Grand Army of Woodland Elves. And I will be back at the palace with the Magistrate, going over battle strategies and being seen as a hero for bringing you,” he stuck his finger right in Cobb’s face, “To justice.”

Before Cobb could move out of the way, Adwin clamped a pair of handcuffs to him and pulled him along. Cobb cried out, struggling against Adwin’s grip, but it was useless. He watched himself be dragged along, his powers growing weaker under the influence of the poisoned oak cuffs that bound his hands together. 

_ Din _ , he thought forlornly,  _ Din, I’m so sorry. _

Cobb prayed to the forest and the force above that Din could hear him.

_ I’m so sorry.  _ A tear rolled down his face, but he couldn’t feel it.

_ I love you. _

  
  
  


~

  
  
  


Din reached the border mere seconds after his kin, and panted heavily, watching as the formed ranks to charge. He couldn’t see Cobb or any other Fae, which was good, but he feared catching them by surprise. He didn’t want casualties for either side, not when he’d been so sure he and Cobb could’ve helped change things. Now that he knew the child  _ did _ have powers, it made their dream all the more attainable.

He just had to find a way to stop this battle.

Just before he could jump down to intervene, the child raised his hand once more, this time to the sky.

-

Cobb repeatedly slammed the cuffs against the door of his cell, not exactly sure what he was trying to accomplish. He cried out, to the Force, to Din, to anyone who could hear him. But no one could, and no Fae would. He slumped against the door, groaning in defeat.

Then, all of a sudden, Cobb felt a tug at his hands. The cuffs glowed a soft blue, and pulled his hands towards the door once more. Somehow, Cobb knew if he hit the door again, it would open. So he did.

The door flew off the hinges, falling flat a few metres away. Cobb stared down at his hands, expecting the cuffs to come off from the impact. But they hadn’t budged, and the soft blue light was gone. Cobb shrugged and ran out of the dungeons, moving as quickly as he could while watching out for other Fae guards. 

When Cobb exited the castle, he saw troops of Fae marching far ahead in the clearing, and they were almost to the border. Momentarily wishing he’d spent more time travelling on the ground, Cobb took a deep breath and ran after them.

-

The first of the Elves stepped through the border, and the air above them crackled dangerously. The child dropped his hand and sagged wearily in Din’s grasp. Worried he’d been pushed too far, Din jumped to the ground and set the child carefully down behind a tree, out of harm's way. 

"Stay here, okay?" he told the child, "I'll come back for you." 

Din ran to the troops already marching on, dashing between them. Shouts of protest sounded behind him as he forced his way through the crowd. When he reached the front of the march, he saw the Fae Army approaching ahead. 

"Damn," he muttered, and turned back to the Elven troops. 

"Stop!" he shouted, holding his hands up. 

The Elves before him halted immediately, looking about bewildered for Fett's order. Some of them still followed Din, not having been informed he was demoted. Fett pushed himself. To the front of the line, his face red with anger 

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he snapped, "How did you get out?"

"Nevermind that," Din shouted back, "You need to  _ listen  _ to me."

"Listen to you? After the harm you've caused?" 

"I know, I messed up," Din sighed, dropping his hands. "I hadn't meant for this to happen. We don't  _ have  _ to fight them."

"Yes we do, Din," Paz, his fellow High Guard jumped in, "Those are the rules. Someone crosses the border, we fight." 

"But  _ why?  _ Who decided that? Ancestors we know hardly anything of started this war  _ thousands  _ of years ago! Why should we continue the hatred they began?" 

"Because the Fae are monsters!" someone else shouted. 

"No," Din said, "No they're not, that's just what we've been told by the very people who brought war to this peaceful forest in the first place. A forest we share! A forest that suffers from our separation. If we could just  _ talk _ to them-”

“ _ Talk to them?” _ Boba asked incredulously, “There’s no  _ talking _ to the Fae; they’d sooner see us dead.”

“That isn’t true.”

“Oh yeah?” Mayfeld called out, “You been talkin’ to one?”

Din inhaled sharply, “I have.”

The angry shouts that erupted and Din felt the ground vibrate as the Guard slammed their spears down repeatedly. 

“Traitor!”

“How could you!?”

The only one not joining the mob was High Guard Bo-Katan. She was staring directly at Din, her gaze steady and calculating. He tilted his head at her in question, and she stepped forward. 

“My sister was Fae,” she shouted at the mob. Silence immediately fell over their ranks. “Our mother was an Elf. Our father, a Fae. My sister was kind, and loving. She was a pacifist; as were many of the Fae she was raised alongside.”

“Where is she now?” Cara asked.

Bo-Katan met her eyes. 

“She’s dead.”

The Guards murmured amongst themselves.

“She was killed,” Bo-Katan continued, raising her voice, “By an Elf. An Elf who was hungry for power, and the chaos and destruction war would bring. He despised her attempts at peace, attempts Din Djarin is trying to make as well. So he killed her. And news of her death was hidden under lies of the Fae.”

Bo-Katan turned back to Din and gave him a small smile.

“I believe that Fae are not as we’re told they are. They’re not ruthless villains. They protect the forest we help grow. If we wish to see this place thriving at its fullest, we  _ must _ make amends with the Fae. We are each other’s only hope.”

There was pure, awe-stricken silence among the Guards. No one moved, hardly anyone breathed. All waited for Fett’s reaction, but even he seemed at a loss for words.

Finally, Boba stepped forward.

“This all may be true,” he said, “But you will have to convince them as well.”

Boba pointed behind them and Din turned. During Bo-Katan’s speech, the Fae army had approached silently. Din had forgotten that they were skilled on the forest floor. Their ranks stopped one hundred metres out, watching the Elves closely. 

“You have inflicted a battle upon the Fae,” the head Guardsman shouted. “The Fae shall act in accordance with your decision.” 

“Guardsman Syndulla,” Bo-Katan called, “Your father stood by my sister in her days of fighting for peace. A mistake made by one of my kin led us to you today,” Din cringed, “But we wish to remedy that mistake if we can.”

Guardsman Syndulla lowered her shield.

“You have brought an army past our borders to speak of peace?”

Din stepped forward. 

“This was my fault,” he said, “I knew the consequences of my actions, and it was an honest mistake. The Grand Army of the Woodland Elves stands before you because I could not get to them in time. We do not wish to invade your land.”

“And yet,” Syndulla sighed, “Here you are.”

“General Syndulla!” a new voice cried out.

The Fae army shuffled around and someone stepped out of their ranks. Din sucked in a breath.

“I have befriended one of the Elves, and it was our wish to attempt a peace treaty between the Elves and the Fae,” Cobb explained quickly.

Despite breathing heavily from running and looking utterly disheveled, Cobb was still the prettiest thing Din had ever seen.

“Cobb,” he gasped, taking an involuntary step towards him.

Cobb smiled, “Din.”

“Captain Vanth, you are meant to have been detained in the dungeons,” General Syndulla noted, amusement in her tone.

Cobb held up his left hand which was clasped in a poisoned oak handcuff, the other side having opened at some point.

“I got out,” he said simply.

Din could’ve kissed him right there.

“Please,” Din continued, “Let us expla-”

Din stopped suddenly, a hand flying to his chest. He’d felt something tug there, and the feeling grew stronger as it travelled down his right arm, yanking it back down to his side.

“Din?” Cobb asked, fear in his eyes.

Then Cobb had a similar reaction. His left hand, the one still in the pair of handcuffs, pulled away from his body before falling back to his side.

“What-” he started.

Then they were both being pulled to each other, their feet working to keep them from falling over as their hands came together suddenly. They stumbled into each other, and when Din looked down, his right hand joined Cobb’s left in the pair of handcuffs. Completely confused, Din looked around to the others present, before spotting the child in the middle of both troops, his hand raised and his eyes closed.

“Kid, no!” Din shouted.

The child just opened his eyes and blinked, lowering his hand. 

“What the hell,” Boba muttered. 

Din and Cobb met each other’s eyes, equally puzzled. They tried tugging at the handcuffs, but they simply wouldn’t budge. 

“Poisoned oak,” Cobb told him, “It weakens us.”

“This is… unprecedented,” General Syndulla noted. She cleared her throat, “As much as I too long for a day when the useless border falls and we can once again work together as we were made to, there are those of us who would break the peace.”

“I understand,” Bo-Katan replied, “And we will do all we can to settle any disputes. It seems,” she gestured to the child, “That this little has decided we must work together.”

As they continued conversing, Cobb turned to face Din.

“That kid did this?” he muttered, shaking their chained hands.

“Guess so,” Din whispered back.

“Can’t say I mind too much,” Cobb added, “Beats being cuffed in a dungeon.”

Din chuckled, “Beats being trapped inside an armoury by a tree. That’s how the kid first used his magick, he moved the branches out of the way so we could escape.”

“Now hang on a second,” Cobb said, catching Din’s gaze with an eyebrow raised, “A tree trapped you inside a room full of tools and weapons, and it took the kid using  _ magick _ to get you out?”

Din stared at him long enough that Cobb got the idea the thought hadn’t crossed his mind. Cobb doubled over laughing, pulling Din’s arm with him. Din’s face went red and he tugged Cobb back up.

“I’m sorry,” Cobb said, still smiling, “That’s just the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Din started chuckling then too, and shook his head at Cobb. 

“How much longer d’you think they’re gonna discuss this before we come to a decision?” Cobb asked, changing the subject. 

“Don’t know,” Din replied. “Guess we’ll have to wait and see.”

“You know what, Din? I’m tired of waiting,” Cobb sighed, “There’s something I’ve been waiting to do for a while now, but never could because of the border.”

“Well, that’s no longer an issue,” Din noted, “So what is it?”

“This.”

With his free hand, Cobb grabbed the back of Din’s neck and pulled him in, pressing their lips together hastily. Din noticed the silence from all around that followed, but he was too focused on kissing Cobb back to care. Din slid his own free hand around Cobb’s waist, holding him closer. Cobb sighed against his lips and Din melted into Cobb’s touch. It wasn’t until they heard a few exclamations of surprise that they finally broke apart. Still holding Cobb close, Din glanced around, and his eyes met his brother’s.

“Din,” Boba said, “Your hand.”

Din looked at his free hand around Cobb’s waist and gasped. Glowing red lines travelled around his fingers and across his palm, twisting to a stop along his wrist. He pulled his hand away from Cobb and stared at it. 

“Yours too, Captain,” General Syndulla noted.

Cobb pulled his hand back from around Din’s shoulders and his eyes widened. He brought his hand next to Din’s as it glowed with blue lines that moved identically to Din’s. They stopped at his wrist and pulsed softly against his skin. Din and Cobb met each other’s gaze and made a silent agreement. They splayed the fingers on their newly decorated hands, and pressed their palms together. Red and blue light immediately shone out from beneath their touching skin, causing them both to look away momentarily. A warm sensation spread from their fingertips to their wrists, mixing with the other’s heat. They pulled their hands apart and the glowing faded away, but the vibrant lines remained.

Soul marks.

“They’re soulmates,” someone whispered.

“Soulmates? How?” another replied.

“It’s been  _ decades _ since-”

“But I’ve never heard of-”

“A Fae and an Elf?”

“It’s like the prophecy-”

“Not since-”

“The Prophecy,” Bo-Katan stated loudly for all to hear. “There haven’t been soulmates since the Prophecy. These two were meant to bring us together,” she smiled at them, “They were meant to bring us to peace.”

-

The handcuffs had taken a while to remove, as they required a certain salve that would heal the poisoned oak and return strength to the former wearer. Now Din and Cobb sat side by side, hand in hand, but without the threat of a possible battle hanging over them. It had subsided quickly, neither side willing to feed into any war-like passion after watching their long-revered prophecy come true right before their eyes.

Din had never met Magistrate Karga, leader of the Forest Fae, and Cobb likewise had never seen Lady Tano, Queen of the Woodland Elves. Both sat before their leaders now, explaining everything that had happened since Din had first accidentally crossed that border. Cobb spoke of Din growing flowers at the border, Din explained how Cobb gave him the child, and they both took turns recounting their conversations after, leaving out certain ones they both agreed to have been a bit too flirtatious for their superiors to hear. When they finished, Lady Tano smiled at them.

“Your story is an incredible one,” she said, “And it is a privilege to live as our long-awaited Prophecy becomes reality. But this will not solve everything. Unfortunately, your love for each other is not enough to magically erase all that has been done; but you have inspired both sides to look for more peaceful solutions, and it is thanks to you that we may once again pursue peace.”

Magistrate Karga nodded, “Indeed, and we are very proud of both of you, and we commend your courage through all of this.”

They stood, Din and Cobb following suit. Lady Tano held out her hands in a welcome gesture.

“Force allowing, may your love endure, and may we finally find peace.”

  
  
  


  
  
  



	2. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what is this??? i have more than one chapter???? WOW

  
  
  


Cobb dashed through the underbrush, his legs burning and his heart racing.

_ You’ve got this, _ he told himself,  _ This is what Fae were made to do _ .

His nerves were shot, and he was shaking, focusing all his energy on continuing forward. Then a branch broke to his left, and something heavy tackled him to the ground, gripping his arms tightly so he couldn’t escape. Cobb thrashed under his attacker’s hold, attempting to get out from underneath.

“Give it up, Vanth,” his attacker snarled. 

Cobb groaned, slumping into the grass.

“Din, I  _ told you  _ I wanted to take  _ your  _ last name.”

“And  _ I _ told  _ you _ ,” Din said, getting off of Cobb and holding out his hand, “That there’s no way in hell I’m letting my future husband, my other half, the part two of the two-part prophecy that saved this entire forest, be known by anything other than his own name.”

Cobb grabbed his hand and laughed as Din pulled him up and into his arms.

“To which I replied,” Cobb swept his Marked hand along Din’s jaw, “‘I only want to be known as yours.’”

Din rolled his eyes, but his cheeks still went pink, which Cobb considered a win. He pulled Din in for a kiss, slow and deep and so full of love Cobb felt he could suffocate in it. It’d be a wondrous way to die. 

Cobb was fully prepared to spend the rest of his evening being kissed by his soulmate under the setting Sun, when there was a small rustling behind him.

“Eh?” the child cooed as Din and Cobb whipped around.

“Damn, almost forgot you have a kid.”

“He’s  _ our _ kid,” Din said.

“He is,” Cobb conceded, smiling at the little guy. “You really brought him all this way just to watch us train together?”

Din wrapped his arms around Cobb from behind, “It was either this, or let him be brainwashed by Koska into starting his own revolution for more playtime.”

Cobb laughed, sliding his hands over Din’s around his waist. When their Marked hands touched, their skin tingled pleasantly, the lines glowing briefly. Cobb leaned his head back against Din’s shoulder and sighed.

“He’s still staring at us.”

It was Din’s turn to laugh as he pulled away and went to pick up the child.

“Have you thought of a name for him yet?” Din asked him.

Cobb scoffed, “No, you?”

“No.” Din tilted his head, thinking. “Ahsoka suggested Grogu.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

Din snorted, “No idea.” 

He bounced the child on his hip, and the kid giggled.

“It’s growing on me though.”

Cobb smiled and shook his head, walking over to the two beings he loved most in this world. He wrapped his arms around them both, and Din freed one of his hands to pull Cobb closer. They stayed this way for hours, or seconds, their foreheads touching and the child babbling between them. Cobb sighed contentedly. 

“Can you believe this all started from you being an idiot?” he said.

Din barked a laugh and raised his head to look Cobb in the eyes.

“Or did it start from you  _ falling for  _ the idiot?”

Cobb shrugged, smirking, “Couldn’t say one way or the other, I suppose.” 

“Patu,” the child offered.

“Do you have any idea what he’s saying?” Cobb asked.

“No clue,” Din replied. “Maybe it’s just a sound he makes.”

“Maybe.”

The child looked between them, his deep brown eyes swivelling back and forth from each of their faces.

“He has your eyes,” Cobb said, “It’s unusual for a Fae child his age.”

Neither of them could explain why his eyes were still brown. Not that it mattered much, really; the kid was still one of the most powerful Fae ever known.

“I’m glad you brought him to me,” Din said softly, gazing at Cobb with soft eyes full of adoration.

“I’m glad you were willing to take him in.”

A horn sounded in the distance, and all three of their heads snapped up at the noise.

“Dinner time,” Din said to the child, leaving their little huddle and heading over to his horse.

It had been a gift from Magistrate Karga;  _ “This strong beast is capable of the speed of the Fae, but can carry thrice the weight,”  _ he’d said. Din placed the child in his pouch at the horse’s side and climbed up into the saddle. He held out a hand for Cobb who swung up behind him.

Din grabbed the reins tightly.

“You holding on?” he asked Cobb.

Cobb smiled, wrapped his arms around Din, and pressed a kiss to the back of his soul mate’s neck.

“Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading!  
> pls lemme know what you liked if you enjoyed any of this i need encouragement rn haha

**Author's Note:**

> pls tell me the symbolism of them travelling ways opposite each other all their lives, ways opposite to that of their people, and then being forced to travel as the other does for the sake of stopping the war in the end was significant enough that someone noticed 
> 
> Imagine being so in love you and your lover end an entire war


End file.
